WASHINGTON – Two years ago an Iraq war veteran who was allowed to give himself medication overdosed in a Veterans Affairs facility. A new review finds the problems blamed in his death have not been corrected at many VA facilities.
The VA's inspector general ordered the review as part of legislation passed to fix problems after the 2007 death of 27-year-old Justin Bailey in a Los Angeles residential facility.
Bailey was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He overdosed after staff gave him a supply of medications to administer to himself.
The inspector general's review says less than half of sites visited had appropriate policies to screen patients. It also says many patients that are allowed to give themselves narcotics received more than a week's supply.
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